Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-10-15
COMMUNICATED.
Mount vernon Avenue.

COMMUNICATED.
Mount Vernon Avenue.
The project of constructing broad,
smooth highway 10 Mount Vernon from The
national CAPITAL, which, under certain re
stricti5ns, shall be free for all travel, is one
which commeods iiself to the sympathy and
cordial GO operation Of every American citl-
zen who duly seVeres the name and patriotic
services Of the great soldier and civilian for
whom it will be worthy memorial; and
our people. who are interested in @ two fold
way, have certainly cause 10 congratulate
themselves that il has been received with SO
much favor in every part OF the republic,
whether ten miles or q thousand miles away,
and also, that the preliminary organization
just now in charge OF the important matter
Is under the direction Of a president whose
well known business capacities and spirit OF
enterprise is sn assuring guarantee that
everythn possible will be done by him In
due time toward establishing it on success
full basis.
The object Of tho present organization, We
take it, is simply TO vitslize the project by
circulating information through correspond
ence, bY newspaper publications, and by
prospecting for the most practicable and
suitable route of tho proposed avenue, so
that in every essential particular tho way
may be amply prepared TO appeal TO Con
gress at its next session for its favorable con
sideration, and we believe that by that time
the scheme will have become 20 popular and
all the preliminary matters relating to it
will have assumed such deGuite shape that
no great difficulty will attend the securing
of ali needfui appropriations.
That the road will BIS built we have no
DOUBT, and that at no distant day, either
through mercenary and speculative motives,
or by agencies having their origin in purely
patriotic and national considerations az in
the attempt which has already been made.
We We're assured few days ago By & per
son who seemed TO know whereof he affirmed
that it would not be 80 difficult Il matter to
find syndicate with funds ready, and am
ply sufficient to carry out the undertaking
a. speculation, hut he did not wish I o have
the road built tina; way and we thick our
people generally will agree with him in this
particular, if il can be built By any other
agencies so that the memorial idea may
besubserved. Congress, we think, will come
in opportunely with lis surplus millions TO
the great work, if its friends everywhere
shall urge il as its Importance demands; aud
il so, it will NEST likely establish for it a
special bureau of construction aud appro-
pirate all needed funds 10 be expended
therefor under the direction of the War
Department in carrying out such plans and
specifications as shall be approved and &C.
copied by said department or other official
authority for said purpose appointed ard
provided. How an undertaking involving
so vast all expenditure of money could be
successfully osrred to completion by the
donation plan as has been proposed we fail
to see. This begging business comes to be
a very vexati2ns one after time and, be-
side, we fear that in the administra-
ton of ali the diverse affairs of
the enterprise and particularly the
holding aud discussing of the moneys
there would always be prolific sources tf
jealousy and dstrnst. So We think the en-
terprise should be committed to the hands
of the general government. But first, let
the friends of the measure modify their
ideas in regard to dimensions for while
highway Of one hundred feet in width might
be looked upon with favor, one of two hun.
dred feet might be considered unreasonable
and impraclicable and would, therefore, ut
terly fail of success. II Congress should be
averse to appropriating all the necessary
construction funds it might be willing to APP
propriate one half or two.thirds of them,
contingent on the raising by the "associa.
ton" Of the balance by donations, and
thus, plenty OF opportunities would be af-
forded to millionaires and all others Of
whatever means, who might desire to con.
tribute directly to the memorial fund.
Our people certainly have by this time
had adverse experiences enough in over
reaching probabilities to begin 10 profit
by them and to be willing to take new de-
partures for the better. Some of us have
sad memories yet lingering OF bow unWise
couusel5 with nothing substantial to support
hem prevailed in constructing one of our
liver steamboats, OF twice the dimensions re.
,uirsd, and at cost entirely dispropor
tomato TO the purposes for which it was de-
signed. Our agricultural and industrial"
exhibitions, so lopg as they were kept with
u proper and legitimate bounds, were very
uccessfui, and if We had been satisfied to
move along from year to year in q safe
md practicable way great and d.
'erse benefits might have resulted from
hem. not only to our own immediate neigh.
,orhooJ, but to the whole surrounding
country. b. when horseracing and side
hows Of big fat women and all the other
atch penny tom fooleries belonging only 10
shows, which have killed 80
onny agricultural fairs were bought in
n,, aa,:,led on 10 them the pressure was
90 great, ard lie enterprise, begun so aus
,iciously, came TO an end. These two in
tauces, as we'll ne others which might be
tied and which are equally fresh in our
oemories, are not without tneir lessons of
nution in ali our preliminary and determ-
ming movements in the project of construct.
ng the Mount Vernon Avenue
w. II. SNowDEN.
Fairfax county, Va.